Local News

Two separate motor vehicle accidents occurred Sunday evening at almost the same time; both happened on U.S. 58 at 58 Grocery and Deli, according to Virginia State Trooper D.A. Phipps, who investigated both incidents.

American Mirror in Galax has received a Virginia Occupational Safety & Health Administration citation regarding the 2014 death of a maintenance worker, according to the Virginia Department of Labor & Industry, which is still conducting an investigation.

Benjamin Lee Hancock, 37, of Hillsville, died on July 23, 2014, at the company’s plant on East Stuart Drive in Galax, when he became trapped in a piece of equipment and suffocated, according to Galax Fire Chief David Hankley.

Some of Galax’s most unwanted visitors for the past couple of years has been a large flock of vultures — as many as 100 — that roosts in trees near Twin County Regional Hospital and on the roof of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture’s Shaw Street warehouse building.

The black-winged birds have been circling overhead for weeks, but their creepiness isn’t what prompted city officials to seek a way to disperse the flock — they’re causing damage to the furniture plant’s roof.

Lineberry, while traveling south on Painter Street, attempted to pull into a parking space, said Cox, when she hit the wall. Cox said that she told police she had been having some difficulty with the vehicle’s brakes.

Estimated damage to the wall was $5,000 and to the vehicle was $2,000, Cox said.

Twin County Regional Hospital announced a new partnership related to its emergency department that was effective Feb. 1.

The hospital said it is committed to exceptional medical care by partnering with TeamHealth, one of the nation’s leading providers of emergency department staffing and management services.

TeamHealth will manage a core group of community-based emergency physicians for the department. Patients will be treated by high-quality emergency care providers while benefiting from programs and services offered by TeamHealth.

Tens of millions of Americans could be victims of the latest corporate data breach, this one at Anthem Insurance. Unknown hackers apparently stole personal identifying information from current and former Anthem customers, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other information that can be used for identity theft.

Anthem has set up a separate website with information on the breach, but the Better Business Bureau recommends that consumers always go to a company’s main website first and follow links from there.

RICHMOND — A bill moving through the General Assembly could eliminate a legal process that brings in millions of dollars for law enforcement agencies, but which critics say allows the government to confiscate property unfairly.

HB 1287, sponsored by Del. Mark Cole (R-Spotsylvania), would end civil asset forfeitures — state legal proceedings that allow police to keep property seized from criminal suspects. The process rankles civil liberties advocates because such seizures can occur without a criminal conviction.